Princess of Hilderan
"...Why Hilderan? Isn't it extremely far?"
"So they won't be able to bring their army."
"Then why the 13th Princess instead of the 1st?"
"The 13th Princess is like a grun to the Hilderan Kingdom. Kidnapping her won't cause much danger."
"You're saying she has no value? Even though she's a princess?"
A grun was one of the Demon Realm's demonoids—useless, powerless, treated as trash.
"There are such princesses as well."
"This is against the canon, however."
The second canon of the Demon King:
[The Demon King must kidnap a prince or princess.]
There are no supplementary clauses.But, as with the first canon, demons developed their own unwritten rule:
— Kidnap a prince or princess closer to the line of succession, one with a name and significance.
The more important the person is to the kingdom, the deeper the kingdom's rage.And the deeper the rage, the purer the demonic energy produced.
For Demon Kings who needed the greatest possible quantity and quality of demonic energy, it was the obvious choice.
"But you won't listen anyway, will you."
"Correct."
'He was said to be a devout follower of the canon during his academy years…'
What wind made him snap right after graduation?
Still, Gordon didn't view the situation too pessimistically.
'Compared with his behavior at the graduation ceremony, he's surprisingly not completely rejecting the canon. If he gradually follows more of it, maybe he'll return to how he used to be…'
He was once called a legendary first seat.If he returned to being a proper Demon King, conquering Arein wouldn't be a dream.
'I must support him well.'
Gordon formed a grand ambition.
'And at least in the current state, the Demon King may be right.'
All the demonoids and monsters that should have been present were missing.If they triggered the wrong kingdom, the ones wiped out wouldn't be the kingdom—but themselves.
And Gordon wanted to conquer Arein with Berze, not commit suicide.
"I will accompany and assist you, my lord."
"No, I will go alone. Someone must guard the tower. You stay and manage it."
"…Is there even anything to manage?"
"It is a Demon King's tower in name. It shouldn't be an empty house."
Berze descended the mountain.The monsters roaming the snowy peaks lurked nearby but tucked their tails at the Demon King's aura.
Weak from dimensional interference, there were plenty here who could overpower him in a direct fight—but before the essence of a Demon King, they fled.
'My body is in terrible shape. If I face heroes like this…'
Therefore, he needed a princess of appropriate difficulty.
A kingdom far away, unable to send troops due to entangling interests with neighboring powers.A princess low in importance, so the king would offer less money to the Hero Guild.
Such mediocrities wouldn't dare cross Mount Ergest through its monsters.
"Perfect."
A truly flawless opening plan.
He would absorb the rage Hilderan spat out afterward—less in quantity and quality than if he'd taken the 1st Princess, sure, but enough to grow his power.
'And a princess isn't the only answer.'
Kidnapping a princess was merely the most efficient way to accumulate negative emotion—not the only way.
'And if necessary, I can return the princess and demand money.'
From past experience, he knew heroes and humans of Arein better than anyone.
'Even if she's like a grun, a princess is still a princess. They won't reject negotiations. With that money, I could hide my identity, hire humans, and become a mastermind behind the scenes.'
A mastermind.It even appeared in the canon, so other Demon Kings might like it.
Which meant less opposition.
However—
"But I must not be the kind of idiot who reveals he's the mastermind."
One foolish mistake was enough for a lifetime.
"To do that, first—"
He had to take this first step perfectly.
Berze quickened his pace.
A faint crescent moon hid behind the clouds.A chilling wind blew.
Soldiers atop the palace walls huddled around their fire pits to survive the cold.
"Damn cold."
"A hot tomato stew sounds perfect right now."
"With fresh baguette dipped in it."
"Ahh… just imagining it…"
I passed over the wall. Their idle chatter faded behind me.
The magic circles protecting against intruders were vicious, but not as malicious as those in the Demon King Academy.
The palace, lit by magical lanterns, wasn't too dark. There were signs of life everywhere.
I chose a relatively isolated spot and waited for someone to pass.A servant carrying miscellaneous items walked by—perfect.
"Mm—who…?"
His body trembled after I subdued him.
"Where are the princesses?"
"I–I can't t–talk…!"
I gently brushed him with my hand.The servant foamed at the mouth and confessed everything.I tossed his unconscious body into a corner.
I took no further action—I didn't have the ability to erase memories, and I needed at least a minimal excuse in case of questions.
A flimsy but acceptable excuse that I acted according to the 'canon.'
'Wealthy, indeed.'
Hilderan, the ruling power of the south, was rich.Each of its fifteen princesses had her own personal palace—evidence enough.
I located the thirteenth palace where the 13th Princess resided.
A secluded palace decorated with beautiful hyacinth motifs at the outermost edge of the royal grounds.I opened its window.
"…"
"…"
A woman sitting on the bed met my eyes.
Around twenty years old.Platinum hair.Two amethyst-colored eyes reflecting the moonlight.
I'd heard Hilderan's princesses were all beauties.Indeed, she was stunning.
Instead of freezing, I stepped inside and shut the window.
She still hadn't said a single word.
"…Are you a kidnapper? Or a Demon King?"
Her first words were unnervingly calm.
Her boldness amused me.Before she could scream with that small mouth of hers, I dampened all surrounding noise.
"Does anything change depending on my answer?"
"My response would change."
"If I were a simple kidnapper?"
"I would resist with everything I have."
"And if I were a Demon King?"
"Would you be able to handle me?"
A strange question.A curious confidence.
Amusing.Even if Demon Kings had become familiar presences in this dimension, to be treated this lightly—
"Of course. I am a Demon King."
"Then I'll go quietly."
"You're unusually calm."
"Kidnapping princes or princesses is nothing new for Demon Kings. I always thought the day might come for me."
Though I didn't expect anyone would actually bother visiting me…
She muttered softly.
'What is this?'
Even though Arein is a dimension unusually familiar with Demon Kings—even though some Demon Kings and heroes cooperate behind the scenes—her reaction was too unexpected.
In my previous life, no princess had ever behaved this boldly before me.
Even if they'd grown used to it, even if some kept up polite manners to survive, Demon Kings were still reviled monsters in human eyes.
Part of me wondered—Am I being deceived?
"If you're trying to lower my guard to strike my back, give up. I'm desperate enough that I won't fall for cheap tricks."
"No. How would I set a trap when I couldn't know you'd come tonight?"
A very fair point.
I spread my senses to probe her inner self.As expected of the frail 13th Princess—there was nothing notable.
She might have fooled my senses completely, but that was impossible.Even weakened by dimensional interference, I was still a Demon King.I wasn't weak enough to be fooled by a mere princess.
When I didn't respond, she asked instead:
"Then how did you know I was here?"
"A simple matter."
"…Simple?"
"As expected of a Demon King." She nodded to herself.
"What happens to me as a prisoner?"
There were many possibilities.
The canon didn't specify how hostages should be treated, and Demon Kings all differed in personality and preference.
Some treated the kidnapped royals with courtesy.Some treated them worse than rags.Some killed them outright.
In truth, the Demon Realm recommended the latter two: to feed—
Upon witnessing such treatment, a kingdom only grows more enraged.
But in Arein, the first method is the one most widely practiced.
Perhaps that is why this princess remained so calm.
Or maybe she had simply given up.
"I will treat you like any other princess. If you cooperate, I'll treat you cooperatively. If not, the opposite."
"How frightening. I suppose I'll obediently follow the Demon King's words."
She rose from the bed and approached slowly, holding out both hands.Her pale wrists came into view.
"Shall we go, then?"
"Yes."
I led her out of the royal palace.
The kidnapping went smoother than expected.
Before anyone noticed her disappearance and raised problems, we quickly escaped Hilderan.
After that, it was over in moments.Using expensive inter-kingdom teleportation circles, we traveled north at high speed.
"Welcome back safely, my lord."
Mount Ergest.When I returned to the tower after a week, Gordon greeted me.
"You've brought the princess."
"Prepare a corner on the 4th floor like a room and let her stay there."
"Not the prison?"
Gordon froze as he tried to take her downstairs.
"She came quietly, so while she cooperates, I intend to meet her halfway."
"Understood."
"Wow, there's really nothing here? I heard Demon King towers are usually full of demonoids."
The princess marveled shamelessly upon reaching the 4th floor.
"It's the beauty of empty space."
"It's all empty space."
"Stay here."
"There's no bed."
"The floor is the bed."
"I'm still technically a princess..."
"Anyone who sees you would think you came for a picnic."
Ignoring her complaints, I tossed her onto the 4th floor and headed back to my office.
"..."
The princess watched his back grow distant.
A Demon King.She had been so shocked when he suddenly opened her window.
Well—perhaps not that shocking in itself.
Demon Kings in Arein always target princes and princesses.Sometimes they fail. Sometimes they succeed.But the need to stay alert never changes.
But that was long ago.Demon Kings were no longer simply terrifying.Humans had grown strong enough to track Demon King movements.
That was why she'd been surprised.
She thought she knew all the faces of the Demon Kings.Yet she had never seen his.
If he truly were a Demon King, the Hero Guild would have detected his movements.But there had been no reports.
At first, she thought he was lying.Until the thick demonic aura screamed his identity.
The tower atop the snowy mountain really was a Demon King's tower.
She'd heard the Lust Demon King died recently—so a new one must have arrived.
"...I was really kidnapped, wasn't I?"
She finally grasped her situation.
"Escape…"
Impossible.
No guards were in sight, but the location was the problem.Leaving Mount Ergest alone was essentially suicide.
"Hm."
She was a hostage. Expecting good treatment was a luxury.
"It's hard."
Still, this was a bit too much.She tapped the floor—hard dirt. Far from pleasant.
"No pillow."
"No blanket."
"No maid."
"No pretty garden."
"No bathroom."
Her delicate brows furrowed.
But—
"...It's not bad."
Oddly, she felt at ease.As if all the pressures that had weighed on her had vanished.
She smiled gently.
She removed her ring and summoned mana.Her friends peeked out.
Pat pat—
She stroked the rising dirt—and began shaping a bed.
"Did everything go well, my lord?"
"Mm."
Gordon asked the moment I entered the office.I nodded.
Everything had gone smoothly.The planning, the kidnapping, the escape.
Arcine's coercion made it seem like I did it because I was forced,but this was the plan from the beginning.
After all, to gather demonic energy and reduce interference,I needed negative emotion from humans.
At the same time, receiving excessive hatred and becoming a target for extermination was unacceptable.The 13th Princess of Hilderan was the perfect balance.
I was satisfied.
The first button had been fastened perfectly.
Knock knock—
A lavish palace.
Princess Hilderan's escort knight, Eshil, knocked on the door.There was no answer.
"Your Highness, I've brought breakfast."
Still no reply.
"Perhaps she's still sleeping?"
"She's never done this before…"
The chef, who had brought the food, tilted his head.
"Excuse me."
Eshil knocked again and opened the door slightly.He sensed no movement inside.
Still asleep?
He gently pulled aside the curtains around the bed.
He saw a pillow.A blanket.Nothing else.
"...?"
Instinctively, he lifted the blanket.Nothing.
He checked under the bed, searched the bathroom, opened every drawer, and looked out the window.
She was nowhere.
"Uh… so…"
Eshil swallowed. His mind went blank.
"Sir Eshil!"
The servants rushed to catch him as he staggered.Their faces turned pale as they confirmed the princess was missing.
"T-The Crown Princess has disappeared!"
The disappearance of the kingdom's heir spread through the palace in an instant.